Safety table with endless securing strip thereon



Se t. 25, 1962 R. s.. CHASE ETAI. 3,055,722

SAFETY TABLE WITH ENDLESS SECURING STRIP THEIR-EON Filed May 18, 1960 INVENTORG RALPH S. CHASE BY DONALD M.PARK

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ited? rates atet 3,055,722 SAFETY TABLE WITH ENDLESS SECURIN STRIP THEREON Ralph S. Chase and Donald M. Park, Metropolis, 111., as-

signors to Metropolis Bending Company, Metropolis, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 18, 1950, Ser. No. 29,915 4 Claims. (Cl. 311108) The present invention relates to infant safety tables, and particularly to safety tables with securing strips thereon that aid in retaining a table top in position.

The present invention relates to infant safety tables of the type shown in United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,669,499 and 2,669,227. These safety tables in general comprise a square structure wherein a hole is provided in the table top and with a seat being suspended from the table top below the top opening for positioning a child therein.

When assemblying safety tables of the type to which the present invention relates, in the past it has been diflicult to secure the table top to the remainder of the table assembly in a desirable manner, and it has also been dilficult to keep the table top clean and free from dirt and food particles that tend to collect thereon, especially around the marginal portions of the table top. In some instances these table tops have been made removable to permit the cleaning thereof, but still there have been difficulties encountered in keeping marginal portions of the table top clean even with repeated removal of the table top and thorough washing around the edges of the table. Infants frequently are fed when seated in the chair portion of the table and hence food particles collect on the table top and around the margins thereof. As the children are usually left to play or sit in the seat portion of the safety table for appreciable periods of time, it is quite important that these tables and table tops be kept in a very clean, neat condition.

A further problem involved in the use of infant safety tables is that they are moved from room to room in many instances, or else are moved around from one portion of the room to another and it is desirable that the safety tables not damage any of the other furniture or portions of the wall or door jambs, or the like, if accidentally bumped into such other articles.

The general objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved safety table having improved securing means thereon for positioning a table top in the safety table assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process of securing a positioning or retaining strip and bump guard to the table top whereby an endless strip will be tightly and neatly secured to the table and will effectively prevent collection of any food or other dirt particles around the table edge in concealed o-r inaccessible parts of the table assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a resilient securing strip that can be used for retaining the table top in the table assembly and which strip also will be resiliently and effectively engaged with the table apron or frame to provide a neat assembly having a portion of the strip incompression resilient engagement with the table top adjacent the margins thereof.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.

Attention now is particularly directed to the accompanying drawings that show one currently preferred embodiment of the invention and where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety table having a positioning and securing strip of the invention operatively engaged therewith;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective elevation, partially broken away and shown in section, of the novel positioning and securing strip of the table of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a broken away corner section of the table of FIG. 1 a'ndwith portions thereof being'shown in vertical section.

When referring to corresponding members shown in the drawings and referred to in the specification, corre sponding numerals are used to identify such parts and facilitate comparison therebetween.

The present invention, generally speaking, relates to the combination in a safety table or the like of a frame including vertically extending apron members forming an open center for the frame, which apron members each have a laterally inwardly facing recess therein adjacent'the upper margins thereof, a table top operatively positioned on or associated with the frame adjacent the upper marginal portions of the apron members, and an endless resilient securing strip engagingthe tops and outer sides of the apron members and having a laterally inwardly, retorsely extending section thereon received in the recesses in the apron members to aid in retaining the strip in engagement with the apron members but to extend over the tops and protrude laterally from the upper sides of the apron members to provide a bump or cushion strip around the table margins.

Reference now is particularly directed to the details of the structure shown in the drawings, and an infants safety table in indicated as a whole by the numeral 1. This safety table 1 includes a suitable frame 2 that includes a plurality of vertically extending apron members 3 therein. These apron members 3 form an open center portion in the frame and with a table top 4 being positioned in this open center of the frame and having a center opening or aperture 5 provided therein. A childs seat 6 is suitably associated with the center opening 5 and is supported from the table top 4 or others portions of the frame 2 (not shown) as desired so that the seat can be moved to and from operative positions, for example, when the safety table 1 is to be stored. Any conventional type of support legs 7 are provided for the safety table 1 and are secured to the frame 1 in any desired manner preferably for movement to and from operative positions to again facilitate table movement, or storage actions.

It is an important feature of the present invention that an endless resilient securing strip 8 is provided in the safety table 1 of the invention and this securing strip 8 is in good, tight engagement with the vertically upper margins of the apron members 3 as well :as covering the laterally outer portions of the apron members in order to form a bump guard and finish strip around the upper end part of the table frame 2.

FIG. 3 of the drawings best brings out the fact that the apron members 3 each have an upwardly facing shoulder 9 provided thereon which shoulders 9 are so formed and the apron members 3 are positioned with relation to each other so that the table top 4 can be snugly received on and be supported by the shoulders 9. The apron members 3 also have a.laterall y inwardly facing recess It provided therein immediately above the shoulders 9 but being positioned laterally outwardly of the shoulders. The securing strip 8 is of generally inverted L-shaped in vertical section and it includes frame 2. Such retorsely extending section or portion 12 preferably is provided with one or more vertically upwardly extending lips, or ribs 13 thereon while one or more downwardly extending lips or ribs 14 are pro- Patented Sept. 25, 1962v 3 vided on this retorsely extending section 12 so that the ribs 13 and 14 will have good compression engagement with the recess to further aid in maintaining good operative engagement between the securing strip 8 and the table frame or apron members.

Yet another important portion of the securing strip 8 is that its laterally inner section 11 includes a downwardly extending lip 15 thereon which is in compression engagement with the table top 3 to aid in maintaining it in tight engagement with the shoulders 9 for effective positioning of the table top in the table assembly. As a further special and important element, the securing strip 8 is provided with a laterally inner surface indicated at 16 that extends downwardly and laterally inwardly of the safety table 1 when the strip is operatively positioned. Such surface 16 is formed to aid in forming a readily washable or cleanable connection between the tabletop 4 and the securing strip 8, while it also provides effective retaining, or engaging means should it be desirable to move the chair seat 6, or its back to an inoperative position, or to remove the back and place some member, such as a continuous playboard or chalkboard (not shown) on the upper surfaces of the frame 2, which playboard may then be wedged down into engagement with these laterally inwardly extending surfaces 16 and have a good, sturdy positioning of the auxiliary table top for play, or work use, as desired.

Preferably the securing strip 8 of the invention is made from a plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride, inasmuch as such material can be readily molded to the desired contour. Initially such securing strip is made as a continuous band but it is of a peripheral length appreciably less in extent than that required for extending around the safety table 1. By heating the securing strip to a temperature of approximately 120 F., various types of plastic materials, and particularly polyvinyl chloride material, can be stretched and can be worked around the table top to engage the upper edge portions of the apron members 3 and have the laterally inner section 11 of the securing strip properly seated into the recesses 10. As the material forming the securing strip 8 then cools to room temperature by positive cooling action or by passage of time, the securing strip hardens and forms a good compression contact or engagement between the securing strip and the associated parts of the safety table of the invention. The securing strip will maintain a neatly molded or shaped contour during the heating and stretching action and will smoothly lie around and conform to the table corners as the securing strip is initially molded to the general shape corresponding to that of the table but with it being of a different length than the periphery of the table top so that a heating and stretching action is required before the securing strip can be engaged with a table assembly.

It will be realized that in some instances it may be desired to support the table top on other means than directly by the apron members as shown herein, but in all events, the securing strip of the invention can be used to exert a limited downwardly extending force on the table top to retain it in good seating contact with the support means provided, such as brackets on the frame 2.

By the present invention, a novel and improved safety table assembly is produced, and the securing strip will form an effective, permanent member for retaining the table top on the table assembly and permitting the table top to be readily washed, but to be cleaned completely without requiring any removal of the table top from the table assembly. By use of a plastic securing strip, an effective guard member is provided on the safety table and a cushioning action is furnished by this securing strip to prevent any damage to articles into which the safety table 1 is accidentally bumped. Thus it is believed that the objects of the invention have been achieved.

While one complete embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that modification of this particular embodiment of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination in a table or the like, a frame including vertically extending apron members forming an open center for said frame, said apron members each having an upwardly facing shoulder formed on a laterally inner edge thereof at a portion of an upper vertical margin of the apron member and having a laterally inwardly facing recess extending completely around said apron members immediately above said shoulder in portions of said apron members laterally outwardly of and above said shoulders, a table top rernovably positioned on said shoulders, and an endless resilient securing strip engaging the tops and outer sides of said apron members and having laterally inner retorsely extending sections in said recesses, said securing strip also having a laterally inner lip compressibly engaging said table top to retain it in position.

2. A combination as in claim 1 where said securing strip is of generally inverted L-shape in section and has its laterally inner leg resiliently and snugly engaging said recess.

3. In combination in a table or the like, a frame including vertically extending apron members forming an open center for said frame, said apron members each having a laterally inwardly facing recess therein adjacent the upper margins thereof, a table top operatively positioned on said frame adjacent the upper margin thereof, and an endless resilient securing strip engaging the tops and outer sides of said apron members and having laterally inner retorsely extending sections received in said recesses to aid in retaining said strip in engagement with said apron members, said strip including a downwardly extending laterally inner lip compressibly engaging said table top to aid in retaining it on said frame.

4. In combination in a table or the like, a frame including vertically extending apron members forming an open center for said frame, said apron members each having an upwardly facing shoulder formed on a laterally inner edge thereof at a vertical margin of the apron member and having a laterally inwardly facing recess immediately above said shoulder in portions of said apron 1 members laterally outwardly of said shoulders, a table top positioned on said shoulders, and an endless resilient securing strip engaging the tops and outer sides of said apron members and having laterally inner retorsely extending sections received in said recesses, said securing strip also having a laterally inner portion engaging said table top to retain it in position and having a laterally inner surface inclined inwardly and downwardly of the table.

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